MAORI MIRACLE MAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1920, Page 5

MAORI MIRACLE MAN.

A REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS GATHERING. Marton, Dec. 27. When Tabu Wiremu Ratana gave up dairying and wheat growing over twelve months ago to devote his whole time to ministering to the sick people of his Tace, he had not the remotest idea that he was to gain such notoriety 'as he has done. For months past there has been a long procession of sick and suffering Maoris to Ratana, where the "Miracle Man" resides, and while many have only been able to crawl in with the aid of sticks, crutches, etc., they have gone away walking without assistance and singing, the praises of the man through whom the alleged wonderful works have been performed. During the past week the incomings of healthy as well as invalid Maoris have been phenomenal, over 3000 having assembled to spend Christmas Day at Ratana, and to participate in the opening of the new undenominational church which Tahu Wiremu Ratana ha 3 built of his own accord and mostly with his own money. The assemblage was probably the most interesting and the largest of any Maori gatherings held along (Vis coast for years. Four large marquees, 130 smaller tents, a large meeting-house, and Tahu Ratana'u big private dwelling were all used to accommodate the visitors, practically every native tribe in the North Island being represented. The gathering was remarkable in that there was a complete absence of liquor, and the conduct and general behaviour of the crowd were considered to be beyond reproach. The feeding of such a multitude wars a task | of a Herculean nature, yet,jt has been performed in tile most 'liberal manner. I Some 'Of Tahu Ratana's wealthy cotlsins rendered aid in provisioning the larder. Some idea of the healthy Christmas appetites enjoyed by the majority of the visitors may be gained from the fact that the daily consumption of food included eight bullocks, twenty sheep, twenty pigs, and 350 large loaves of ibread. Fifty tons of potatoes, six tons of sugar, doeens of boxes of butter, fifteen thousand fresh and smoked eels, sacks of mussels and pipie, thirty bags of mutton birds and fourteen hundred tins of bigcuits, iwjdes many hundred tins of jam and fruits, several hundred turkeys, ducks, and geese were drawn on to supplement the daily ration The .transport Of the Maoris, "the live 9tock ..nd the huge quantities of stores over the railway lines will increase the Department's revenue to a very substantial extent. Anticipating a dry period, [Tahu arranged for supplies of artesian I water, and for four days last week motor lorries were engaged in taking water from Turakinj to Ratann, where it Was stored in a concrete cistern large enough almost for a swimming pool. The encarnpment has been lighted by electricity.

The opening of the church took place on Saturday. The ceremony was most impressive, every denomination, including the Salvation Army and the Mormons, being represented. The relMous arrangements were under the control of the Rev. R. Haddon, of the Taranaki and West Coast Methodist Maori missions. The Roman Catholic priest would not join the Protestant ministers in holding a sorvicc. He said that Catholics had not worshipped with Protestants for 1600 years, and in deference to his wishes and those of his people assembled he was allowed to celebrate Mass at the conclusion of the combined Protestant service.

On Christmas afternon Tahu Ratana held a special service covering a period of four hours. It is claimed that 100 sick and infirm MaoTis were cured by faith in God during that time. Among the visitors is ft Native woman who was conveyed by motor-car all the way from Gisborne, via Wairoa, Mohaka, and ifapier. It is stated that she was suffering from cancer, was unable to eat, and was m a critical condition when she arrived. Ratana stimulated her faith, and to-day she was abb to eat a good square meal, and showed a great improvement.

A meeting of the Maori Council was held to-day, and it was unanimously decided to support the suggestion of TalttJ Kafana and appeal to ail the tribes to abandon tohungaism for the true God Also to ask Parliament to legislate bo that the preaching of the doctrines of tohungaism might be a punishable offence.

The big meeting breaks up to-morrow, and the troubles of the railway officials will then commence. To lift 2000 Maoris them over the northern and southern luiss in one day is a task that the transport official* never anticipated. They mv that they cannot provide anything like the amount of rolling stock required. The Maoris planned for 2000 leaving to-morrow and 1000 the next day, but it is extremely doubtful if the arrangements can be carried out